In 2026, the oldest continuously operating watch brand in the world celebrates 30 years of its modern sporty watch. A look back provides insight into today’s evolution, which is particularly sharp thanks to the memories of Selmoni, who has been involved in product creation at Vacheron Constantin since 1990. Across these 30 years, both the manufacture and Selmoni have serendipitously shared open-minded vision and aesthetic sensitivity paired with an understanding of horological mechanics, manufacturing processes, and knowledge of materials as well as deep knowledge of watchmaking history and iconic designs.

Prelude: Vacheron Constantin 222 (1977-1985)

It was the 222nd anniversary of Vacheron Constantin’s founding in 1977. And to celebrate this, the venerable brand created its first sporty elegant watch, whose distinctive visual character made it one of the most recognizable timepieces of the 1970s in addition to being a real departure in design for the Geneva icon. Discontinued in 1985, it wasn’t until 1996 that Vacheron Constantin came back to the sporty-elegant concept with a brand-new collection called Overseas. This line had an even sportier character and, as a premier, was also available in stainless steel alongside gold versions. “The original 222 jumbo model from 1977 was a source of inspiration, but the idea was clearly not to redesign the 222,” Selmoni remembers today. “Two elements of the original 222 are present in the design of the Overseas: its barrel shape with a flat middle case, and its bezel, which is set on top of the middle case. The fluted bezel of the 222 was replaced by a new design evoking the Maltese cross, the emblem of Vacheron Constantin.”

The time-only Overseas launched in 1996 in 37, 35, and 24.5 mm cases, with the collection’s first chronograph coming along in 1999 in a larger 40 mm case, a size that had become more on trend toward the end of the 1990s. This size also became the starting point for the design of the second generation of Overseas, which was introduced in 2004.

Noughties Sweet Spot: Overseas II (2004-2016)

“At the time, I was Product Director,” Selmoni recalls. “And we had workshops and discussions about the future design direction in addition to the increase in dimensions.” The team kept the case design, created new dials, and decided to break with the look of the classic bracelet from the first generation, taking a risk by introducing a new design that was much sportier and more distinctly identifiable thanks to a bracelet with elements taken from the Maltese cross, echoing the bezel. “The dials were also more assertive. As a result, the Overseas second generation, thanks to its strong and clearly defined design, created a departure with the previous generation, which was more a continuity of sporty designs rooted in the 1970s.”

At that moment, Vacheron Constantin also introduced a 34 mm quartz version of the Overseas with a mother-of-pearl dial and diamonds, a design very much in keeping with the trends of the time. “Clients' demand for feminine versions of the Overseas has always been strong,” Selmoni adds.

Selmoni also notes that this 2004 design of the second generation marks a “spectacular” evolution as compared with the 1996 version since the case diameter was increased from 24.5 to 34 mm and the design codes of the second generation were applied. “Our clientele appreciated the convenience of a quartz movement, and we designed elegant dials featuring mother-of-pearl and diamonds to emphasize their feminine character. In 2011, we added a self-winding, 36 mm version to the Overseas line, addressed to clients with smaller wrists and, of course, ladies, who had become increasingly interested in watchmaking and, consequently, in mechanical movements.”

It is also not unimportant to note that sport chic watches from every brand became significant collection pillars during this time. “Until the beginning of the 2000s, prestige brands of haute horlogerie – with some exceptions – were mostly focusing on classic, elegant designs in precious metals and predominantly on leather straps,” Selmoni explains the reasons. “For sure, sport-chic designs were appreciated; however, they were considered more ‘watches for leisure time’ rather than an everyday choice. The development of sport-elegant watches in the 2000s can be briefly explained by a confluence of societal shifts and evolving consumer desires. During this decade, there was a significant trend towards the casualization of luxury and a blurring of lines between formal and informal attire. People sought versatile items that could transition seamlessly from the boardroom to leisure activities, and even to more active pursuits, without sacrificing style or prestige."

A Modern Classic: Overseas III (2016 to now)

The uninterrupted importance of sporty casual watches is certainly what precipitated the 2016 upgrade for the Overseas collection with a new worldtimer (Ref. 7700), in-house movements, a reworked bracelet, and a very intelligent strap-change system.

“Since the presentation of the Overseas collection in 1996, we always maintained a client-centric attitude, and we consistently asked ourselves the question, ‘which feature could we add to offer superior value to our clients?’ For the first generation, the focus was accuracy; the 35 and 37 mm models were all certified chronometers,” Selmoni says. He goes on to explain that in 2004, Vacheron Constantin implemented antimagnetic protection for watches of the second edition, noting the increasing prevalence of magnetic fields in various environments.

“Sport-chic watches were increasingly popular, and consequently we thought about offering versatility by implementing an easy-change system on the future models and offering two straps in addition to the metal bracelet delivered in the watch box. At the time – 2016 – it was quite an unexpected feature for a prestige Maison; however, it became one of the main qualities of the Overseas collection,” Selmoni notes.

The overall design of the Overseas changed at that point as well, marking an obvious departure from the more conservative design of the first generation. “The 2000s was for many watchmakers a decade of assertive, large, and bold designs. In this context, the Overseas II adopted this trend, while at the same time still incorporating elegance and refinement that our clients expected from us,” he says. The direction of the current generation sees a slightly reduced case size on most models and reintroduces some classic design cues, particularly true of the dials, which are classic yet characterized by a unique tonal depth that is especially visible in the blue-dial watches. The cases were fully redesigned with a two-part bezel and more sophisticated finishes.

“We wanted to reconnect with the design roots of the Overseas in the current generation, and ‘reinstating the feel of the 222’ was one of the elements of the design brief – though perhaps ‘reinstating the feel of the original Overseas’ would have been more precise phrasing,” Selmoni recalls. “Above all, it was evident that the vintage trend was already significant in 2016, and it also inspired our designers in creating a new Overseas to embody a more elegant, classic, and sophisticated style.”

The Overseas Movements

Up to the early 2000s Vacheron Constantin used highly modified base movements from Frédéric Piguet and Jaeger-LeCoultre that were embellished with the exquisite finishing for which Vacheron Constantin is famous. In the early 2000s, the brand began following a new movement strategy with the aim of becoming a fully integrated manufacture making its own movements, from simple displays all the way to grand complications.

“This movement strategy formed the backbone of the Maison’s product strategy, and in this context the Overseas collection was already a key pillar,” Selmoni states. “We decided to create and develop a full range of in-house movements to equip the Overseas collection with features adapted to sport-elegant timepieces featuring qualities such as great robustness and high accuracy combined with superlative hand-finishing and bearing the Hallmark of Geneva. The design and development steps of the third generation of Overseas – the current one – were integrated with the development stages of their dedicated movements in order to optimize their integration into the new watches.”

By the 20th anniversary of the Overseas collection in 2016, Vacheron Constantin finally reached its goal of 100 % in-house movements, with the bulk of the collection based on automatic Caliber 5100 with a 60-hour power reserve and Caliber 5200, a column-wheel chronograph.

“I have a special dedication to watches, as they are one of the very last analog objects that accompany us throughout our lifetime – in a world that is increasingly digital. For me, watches are one of the finest and most remarkable expressions of human ingenuity,” Selmoni admits. And the sporty elegant Vacheron Constantin Overseas, which has not only prospered but been enhanced with consumer-friendly improvements throughout its 30-year history, is a grand example of remarkable horological brilliance.